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Glossary » Beams » Simply Supported » Uniformly Distributed Load » Four Equal Spans » Wide Flange Steel I Beam » W18 × 97
Wide Flange Steel I Beam | Single Span | Two Equal Spans | Three Equal Spans | Four Equal Spans

For a simply supported beam in four equal spans, we compute the displacement at the middle of the first and fourth spans, and the maximum normal stress stress_max occuring at the second and fourth supports of the beam.
The tabulated data listed in this page are calculated based on the area moment of inertia (Ixx = 1750 in4) for the W18 × 97 Wide Flange Steel I Beam and the typical Young's modulus (E = 3.046 × 107 psi) of steels. Note that the typical yielding stress Yield of steels can range from 1.015 × 104 to 2.970 × 105 psi. The purpose of this page is to give a rough estimation of the load-bearing capacity of this particular beam, rather than a guideline for designing actual building structures. Please check your local building codes for regulatory requirements.
Note: The weight of the beam itself is not included in the calculation.
L = 3 ft
L = 5 ft
L = 10 ft
L = 15 ft
L = 20 ft
L = 25 ft
L = 30 ft
L = 40 ft
L = 50 ft
L = 60 ft
L = 70 ft
L = 80 ft
L = 90 ft
L = 100 ft
L = 125 ft
L = 150 ft
   
Steel I Beam: W18 × 97 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 97 lbf/ft)
L = 3.00 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
97.0 1.60 × 10-6 5.96
100 1.65 × 10-6 6.14
200 3.31 × 10-6 12.3
300 4.96 × 10-6 18.4
400 6.62 × 10-6 24.6
500 8.27 × 10-6 30.7
600 9.93 × 10-6 36.9
700 1.16 × 10-5 43.0
800 1.32 × 10-5 49.1
900 1.49 × 10-5 55.3
1000 1.65 × 10-5 61.4
2000 3.31 × 10-5 123
3000 4.96 × 10-5 184
4000 6.62 × 10-5 246
5000 8.27 × 10-5 307
6000 9.93 × 10-5 369
7000 1.16 × 10-4 430
8000 1.32 × 10-4 491
9000 1.49 × 10-4 553
1.00 × 104 1.65 × 10-4 614
2.00 × 104 3.31 × 10-4 1230
3.00 × 104 4.96 × 10-4 1840
4.00 × 104 6.62 × 10-4 2460
5.00 × 104 8.27 × 10-4 3070
6.00 × 104 9.93 × 10-4 3690
7.00 × 104 0.00116 4300
8.00 × 104 0.00132 4910
9.00 × 104 0.00149 5530
1.00 × 105 0.00165 6140
2.00 × 105 0.00331 1.23 × 104
3.00 × 105 0.00496 1.84 × 104
4.00 × 105 0.00662 2.46 × 104
5.00 × 105 0.00827 3.07 × 104
6.00 × 105 0.00993 3.69 × 104
7.00 × 105 0.0116 4.30 × 104
8.00 × 105 0.0132 4.91 × 104
9.00 × 105 0.0149 5.53 × 104
1.00 × 106 0.0165 6.14 × 104
2.00 × 106 0.0331 1.23 × 105
3.00 × 106 0.0496 1.84 × 105
4.00 × 106 0.0662 2.46 × 105
4.83 × 106 0.0800 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 97 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 97 lbf/ft)
L = 5.00 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
97.0 1.24 × 10-5 16.6
100 1.28 × 10-5 17.1
200 2.55 × 10-5 34.1
300 3.83 × 10-5 51.2
400 5.11 × 10-5 68.3
500 6.38 × 10-5 85.3
600 7.66 × 10-5 102
700 8.94 × 10-5 119
800 1.02 × 10-4 137
900 1.15 × 10-4 154
1000 1.28 × 10-4 171
2000 2.55 × 10-4 341
3000 3.83 × 10-4 512
4000 5.11 × 10-4 683
5000 6.38 × 10-4 853
6000 7.66 × 10-4 1020
7000 8.94 × 10-4 1190
8000 0.00102 1370
9000 0.00115 1540
1.00 × 104 0.00128 1710
2.00 × 104 0.00255 3410
3.00 × 104 0.00383 5120
4.00 × 104 0.00511 6830
5.00 × 104 0.00638 8530
6.00 × 104 0.00766 1.02 × 104
7.00 × 104 0.00894 1.19 × 104
8.00 × 104 0.0102 1.37 × 104
9.00 × 104 0.0115 1.54 × 104
1.00 × 105 0.0128 1.71 × 104
2.00 × 105 0.0255 3.41 × 104
3.00 × 105 0.0383 5.12 × 104
4.00 × 105 0.0511 6.83 × 104
5.00 × 105 0.0638 8.53 × 104
6.00 × 105 0.0766 1.02 × 105
7.00 × 105 0.0894 1.19 × 105
8.00 × 105 0.102 1.37 × 105
9.00 × 105 0.115 1.54 × 105
1.00 × 106 0.128 1.71 × 105
1.74 × 106 0.222 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 97 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 97 lbf/ft)
L = 10.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
97.0 1.98 × 10-4 66.2
100 2.04 × 10-4 68.3
200 4.08 × 10-4 137
300 6.13 × 10-4 205
400 8.17 × 10-4 273
500 0.00102 341
600 0.00123 410
700 0.00143 478
800 0.00163 546
900 0.00184 614
1000 0.00204 683
2000 0.00408 1370
3000 0.00613 2050
4000 0.00817 2730
5000 0.0102 3410
6000 0.0123 4100
7000 0.0143 4780
8000 0.0163 5460
9000 0.0184 6140
1.00 × 104 0.0204 6830
2.00 × 104 0.0408 1.37 × 104
3.00 × 104 0.0613 2.05 × 104
4.00 × 104 0.0817 2.73 × 104
5.00 × 104 0.102 3.41 × 104
6.00 × 104 0.123 4.10 × 104
7.00 × 104 0.143 4.78 × 104
8.00 × 104 0.163 5.46 × 104
9.00 × 104 0.184 6.14 × 104
1.00 × 105 0.204 6.83 × 104
2.00 × 105 0.408 1.37 × 105
3.00 × 105 0.613 2.05 × 105
4.00 × 105 0.817 2.73 × 105
4.35 × 105 0.889 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 97 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 97 lbf/ft)
L = 15.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
97.0 0.00100 149
100 0.00103 154
200 0.00207 307
300 0.00310 461
400 0.00414 614
500 0.00517 768
600 0.00620 922
700 0.00724 1080
800 0.00827 1230
900 0.00931 1380
1000 0.0103 1540
2000 0.0207 3070
3000 0.0310 4610
4000 0.0414 6140
5000 0.0517 7680
6000 0.0620 9220
7000 0.0724 1.08 × 104
8000 0.0827 1.23 × 104
9000 0.0931 1.38 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.103 1.54 × 104
2.00 × 104 0.207 3.07 × 104
3.00 × 104 0.310 4.61 × 104
4.00 × 104 0.414 6.14 × 104
5.00 × 104 0.517 7.68 × 104
6.00 × 104 0.620 9.22 × 104
7.00 × 104 0.724 1.08 × 105
8.00 × 104 0.827 1.23 × 105
9.00 × 104 0.931 1.38 × 105
1.00 × 105 1.03 1.54 × 105
1.93 × 105 2.00 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 97 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 97 lbf/ft)
L = 20.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
97.0 0.00317 265
100 0.00327 273
200 0.00654 546
300 0.00980 819
400 0.0131 1090
500 0.0163 1370
600 0.0196 1640
700 0.0229 1910
800 0.0261 2180
900 0.0294 2460
1000 0.0327 2730
2000 0.0654 5460
3000 0.0980 8190
4000 0.131 1.09 × 104
5000 0.163 1.37 × 104
6000 0.196 1.64 × 104
7000 0.229 1.91 × 104
8000 0.261 2.18 × 104
9000 0.294 2.46 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.327 2.73 × 104
2.00 × 104 0.654 5.46 × 104
3.00 × 104 0.980 8.19 × 104
4.00 × 104 1.31 1.09 × 105
5.00 × 104 1.63 1.37 × 105
6.00 × 104 1.96 1.64 × 105
7.00 × 104 2.29 1.91 × 105
8.00 × 104 2.61 2.18 × 105
9.00 × 104 2.94 2.46 × 105
1.00 × 105 3.27 2.73 × 105
1.09 × 105 3.55 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 97 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 97 lbf/ft)
L = 25.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
97.0 0.00774 414
100 0.00798 427
200 0.0160 853
300 0.0239 1280
400 0.0319 1710
500 0.0399 2130
600 0.0479 2560
700 0.0558 2990
800 0.0638 3410
900 0.0718 3840
1000 0.0798 4270
2000 0.160 8530
3000 0.239 1.28 × 104
4000 0.319 1.71 × 104
5000 0.399 2.13 × 104
6000 0.479 2.56 × 104
7000 0.558 2.99 × 104
8000 0.638 3.41 × 104
9000 0.718 3.84 × 104
1.00 × 104 0.798 4.27 × 104
2.00 × 104 1.60 8.53 × 104
3.00 × 104 2.39 1.28 × 105
4.00 × 104 3.19 1.71 × 105
5.00 × 104 3.99 2.13 × 105
6.00 × 104 4.79 2.56 × 105
6.96 × 104 5.55 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 97 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 97 lbf/ft)
L = 30.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
97.0 0.0160 596
100 0.0165 614
200 0.0331 1230
300 0.0496 1840
400 0.0662 2460
500 0.0827 3070
600 0.0993 3690
700 0.116 4300
800 0.132 4910
900 0.149 5530
1000 0.165 6140
2000 0.331 1.23 × 104
3000 0.496 1.84 × 104
4000 0.662 2.46 × 104
5000 0.827 3.07 × 104
6000 0.993 3.69 × 104
7000 1.16 4.30 × 104
8000 1.32 4.91 × 104
9000 1.49 5.53 × 104
1.00 × 104 1.65 6.14 × 104
2.00 × 104 3.31 1.23 × 105
3.00 × 104 4.96 1.84 × 105
4.00 × 104 6.62 2.46 × 105
4.83 × 104 8.00 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 97 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 97 lbf/ft)
L = 40.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
97.0 0.0507 1060
100 0.0523 1090
200 0.105 2180
300 0.157 3280
400 0.209 4370
500 0.261 5460
600 0.314 6550
700 0.366 7650
800 0.418 8740
900 0.471 9830
1000 0.523 1.09 × 104
2000 1.05 2.18 × 104
3000 1.57 3.28 × 104
4000 2.09 4.37 × 104
5000 2.61 5.46 × 104
6000 3.14 6.55 × 104
7000 3.66 7.65 × 104
8000 4.18 8.74 × 104
9000 4.71 9.83 × 104
1.00 × 104 5.23 1.09 × 105
2.00 × 104 10.5 2.18 × 105
2.72 × 104 14.2 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 97 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 97 lbf/ft)
L = 50.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
97.0 0.124 1660
100 0.128 1710
200 0.255 3410
300 0.383 5120
400 0.511 6830
500 0.638 8530
600 0.766 1.02 × 104
700 0.894 1.19 × 104
800 1.02 1.37 × 104
900 1.15 1.54 × 104
1000 1.28 1.71 × 104
2000 2.55 3.41 × 104
3000 3.83 5.12 × 104
4000 5.11 6.83 × 104
5000 6.38 8.53 × 104
6000 7.66 1.02 × 105
7000 8.94 1.19 × 105
8000 10.2 1.37 × 105
9000 11.5 1.54 × 105
1.00 × 104 12.8 1.71 × 105
1.74 × 104 22.2 2.97 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 97 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 97 lbf/ft)
L = 60.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
97.0 0.257 2380
100 0.265 2460
200 0.529 4910
300 0.794 7370
400 1.06 9830
500 1.32 1.23 × 104
600 1.59 1.47 × 104
700 1.85 1.72 × 104
800 2.12 1.97 × 104
900 2.38 2.21 × 104
1000 2.65 2.46 × 104
2000 5.29 4.91 × 104
3000 7.94 7.37 × 104
4000 10.6 9.83 × 104
5000 13.2 1.23 × 105
6000 15.9 1.47 × 105
7000 18.5 1.72 × 105
7020 18.6 1.73 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 97 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 97 lbf/ft)
L = 70.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
97.0 0.476 3240
100 0.490 3340
200 0.981 6690
300 1.47 1.00 × 104
400 1.96 1.34 × 104
500 2.45 1.67 × 104
600 2.94 2.01 × 104
700 3.43 2.34 × 104
800 3.92 2.68 × 104
900 4.41 3.01 × 104
1000 4.90 3.34 × 104
2000 9.81 6.69 × 104
3000 14.7 1.00 × 105
3790 18.6 1.27 × 105
Steel I Beam: W18 × 97 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 97 lbf/ft)
L = 80.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
97.0 0.811 4240
100 0.837 4370
200 1.67 8740
300 2.51 1.31 × 104
400 3.35 1.75 × 104
500 4.18 2.18 × 104
600 5.02 2.62 × 104
700 5.86 3.06 × 104
800 6.69 3.50 × 104
900 7.53 3.93 × 104
1000 8.37 4.37 × 104
2000 16.7 8.74 × 104
2220 18.6 9.71 × 104
Steel I Beam: W18 × 97 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 97 lbf/ft)
L = 90.0 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
97.0 1.30 5360
100 1.34 5530
200 2.68 1.11 × 104
300 4.02 1.66 × 104
400 5.36 2.21 × 104
500 6.70 2.76 × 104
600 8.04 3.32 × 104
700 9.38 3.87 × 104
800 10.7 4.42 × 104
900 12.1 4.98 × 104
1000 13.4 5.53 × 104
1390 18.6 7.67 × 104
Steel I Beam: W18 × 97 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 97 lbf/ft)
L = 100 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
97.0 1.98 6620
100 2.04 6830
200 4.08 1.37 × 104
300 6.13 2.05 × 104
400 8.17 2.73 × 104
500 10.2 3.41 × 104
600 12.3 4.10 × 104
700 14.3 4.78 × 104
800 16.3 5.46 × 104
900 18.4 6.14 × 104
910 18.6 6.21 × 104
Steel I Beam: W18 × 97 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 97 lbf/ft)
L = 125 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
97.0 4.84 1.03 × 104
100 4.99 1.07 × 104
200 9.97 2.13 × 104
300 15.0 3.20 × 104
373 18.6 3.98 × 104
Steel I Beam: W18 × 97 (Wide Flange 18 inch tall × 97 lbf/ft)
L = 150 ft
P (lbf/ft) w_max (in) stress_max (psi)
97.0 10.0 1.49 × 104
100 10.3 1.54 × 104
180 18.6 2.76 × 104
Additional Information
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STEM Career Outlook

Wages, employment opportunities, and growth projections for STEM jobs.

Negotiate Your Salary

Learn the best principles to negotiate the salary you deserve!

Injection Molding Design Guide

Guide for high quality and cost-effective plastic injection molding.

Selecting the Right 3D Printer

Discover how to choose the right 3D printer for your needs and the key performance attributes to consider.

more publications